The statements in this section merely provide background information related to the present disclosure and may not constitute prior art.
Many portions of the human anatomy naturally articulate relative to one another. Generally, the articulation between the portions of the anatomy is substantially smooth and without abrasion. This articulation is allowed by the presence of natural tissues, such as cartilage and strong bone.
Over time, however, due to injury, stress, degenerative health issues and various other issues, articulation of the various portions of the anatomy can become rough or impractical. For example, injury can cause the cartilage or the boney structure to become weak, damaged, or non-existent. Therefore, the articulation of the anatomical portions is no longer possible for the individual.
At such times, it can be desirable to replace the anatomical portions with a prosthetic portion such that normal or easy articulation can be reproduced. For example, a distal end of a femur naturally articulates with respect to a tibia to form a knee joint. After injury or other degenerative processes, the distal end of the femur and the tibia can become rough or damaged. In these cases, it may be desirable to replace at least a portion of the tibia and/or femur with a prosthesis.
For example, a tibial tray can replace a portion of the tibia, and a polymer bearing can be positioned on the tibial tray to enable a femoral component to articulate relative to the bearing. Generally, tibial trays can include one or more bores that extend through the tibial tray for receipt of a mechanical fastener to couple the tibial tray to the tibia. The use of bores through the tibial tray, however, may allow wear debris to pass through the tibial tray.